PROSPECTING IN THE KING COUNTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2152, 24 April 1886, Page 2

PROSPECTING IN THE KING COUNTRY.

Ouk Te Awamutu correspondent writes :— Mr(iriftith« hits returned from his prospeuting tour iv the native country. He found truces of gold in some of the creeks; in one tlie prospect turned ont tweuh >< peckfa* the di-h, but be failed to trice it On hi*i way b.ick he came aero** a seam of coal ciopping out of the surface. He Uought down a piccD as a sample. It look* quite us go<>d us the Taupiri coal ; w hard, and looks like a good article for burning. The seam is in a place that is easily got at, and is only n few miles fioui the line of rail. If it looks so good on tlm surface we may tcadily boliexo it would be of fir.st-cl«*s quality deeper down. This discovery will be of good value in a country which has little or no timber nearer than the ranges. Mr Griffiths al<m found n Ream of a rod Mib.stnncc not unlike raddle. It is somewhat hauler th»n raddle, but it makes a m.irk almost as distinct. The seam is about two feet t-quare in some places, and is in a casing of nick. Whether it may prove of any value is more than I can say, but the place is very difficult to get at, and unless it proved of great value indeed— which it ninat likely is not— it would not pay for working. Rangitoto has been well prospected, but with no result. Now that we know that the King country is barren of gold, it will have comparatively little value in the eyes of the public, for the extent of good land is more limited than was generall supposed.